An overview of the 12 albums and which one I believe deserves the recognition. The Mercury Prize selects 12 Albums of the Year to recognise musicians from the UK and Ireland in a variety of musical genres. Last year, the winner was singer-songwriter Sam Fender from Newcastle with People Watching, and in 2024, it was rock band English Teacher from Liverpool with This Could Be Texas. This year, musicians from various genres were nominated, including rap, jazz, indie, drum&bass and post-punk. While all the nominated albums are different, they all represent a different aspect of what it means to be a musician in Britain and Ireland. The Boy Who Played the Harp – Dave British rapper Dave’s fourth studio album The Boy Who Played the Harp is a vulnerable, raw take on the genre. Musically, the vocals are isolated, with rhythmic synthesiser chords and a drum beat making up the majority of the sound. Dave alludes to religion throughout the album. He describes the conflict between piety and guilt; the song Chapter 16, for example, is based on the Book of Samuel. Raindance, featuring Tems’ vocals, combines Afro-Caribbean rhythms with electronic beats, showcasing the album’s versatility in shifting from upbeat to theatrical. Fairchild criticises violence against women, collaborating with Nicole Blakk. In the title track, Dave pays respect to both his ancestry and his descendants as he struggles to stay anchored to the present. It is crucial to recognise Dave’s versatility, and his ability to embed so much feeling and difficult themes into a hip-hop album. Blizzard – Dove Ellis In Blizzard, Irish indie musician Dove Ellis’ self-produced debut, he cultivates his own sound. The Guardian notes that most critics compare Ellis to Jeff Buckley and his father, Tim Buckley–an understandable comparison because of his voice’s ability to go from delicate falsetto to stronger vocals. It is impossible to ignore the lyricism. It hits you in Pale Song: “the night has many fingers, the night cannot be traced”. Throughout the tracks, Ellis’ voice adorns the lyrics and paints a picture with detailed imagery, as in track 6: “In this winter of dust, he held your hand and held a scythe” (Heaven Has No Wings). The music itself simply adds to the album’s tempestuous quality. From the soft tones of Love Is, to the Irish jigs of Jaundice, the album is not a stranger to unpredictability. Each song melds sensitive instrumentals with slowly-emerging indie rock rhythms. There is a hint of nostalgia and mystery in each song, traces of Nick Drake and Elliott Smith. The sound, however, is hard to pinpoint–it is angry and sad and almost folkloric, bringing back memories of open fields and serene rivers. In Feathers, Cash, arpeggios seem to rock the listener into a state of dreaming, only to be startled awake by a crescendo of stunning harmonies. Blizzard is a treasure in a music industry where musicians trade originality for popularity. Dove Ellis has created an album worthy of slowing down in a fast-paced age, acknowledging the profundity and simplicity of life. Everybody Scream – Florence + The Machine Florence + The Machine once again transports listeners to a fantasy world in which she hides strands of reality. Everybody Scream opens with harmonies that become louder, screaming vocals, hence the name of the track. Everything is cinematic, contained within the realms of witchcraft, and imitates the energy of female rage. One of the Greats acknowledges the difficulties of being a woman in the music industry: “It must be nice to be a man and make boring music just because you can”, Welch sings. This theme seems to continue throughout the album. The tracks are dark and chaotic, combining traces of folklore with rock and pop. In Perfume and Milk, Welch’s vocals climb and overlap with harmonies. Buckle is more of a pop love ballad. Florence Welch stays true to her persona throughout the album, though no song is the same. Perhaps that is the secret behind her success; she never fails to display her distinct musical style. THAT’S SHOWBIZ BABY! – JADE JADE’s debut album shows that she can distinguish herself from Little Mix and is doing fine solo. THAT’S SHOWBIZ BABY! exhibits her individuality within pop, a genre that often forces artists to abide by certain ideals and abandon creativity. THAT’S SHOWBIZ BABY! is a tribute to individuality and chaos. Pitchfork’s review highlights that the uniqueness of the album is in how Jade’s voice changes–from falsettos to how it is sped up and slowed down. Jade’s album illustrates how major labels limited her creativity and made her feel powerless. This is why she is described as “the industry’s worst nightmare”, someone who refuses to conform to the boundaries set for her. Unconditional has a disco-like beat, but is interrupted by the sound of strumming electric guitars. Angel of My Dreams, the opening track, is a mix between a ballad and a rave. Every song is a combination of sounds and genres. While some songs seem like an over-the-top performance of the role of a ‘diva’, this was intentional, as other tracks reveal that beneath this persona is someone disillusioned with the music industry and trying to figure out her own identity outside of it. Jade’s debut is central to her individuality, proving that she is more than just a showgirl. A Great Day in Newcastle – Knats Knats’ A Great Day in Newcastle is not your usual jazz album. The Georgie jazz trio incorporate experimental threads of punk, nu-jazz and poetry in their second album. The tracks are adorned with instrumental solos, with King David Ike-Elechi on drums, Stan Woodward on bass, and Ferg Kilsby on trumpet, and the occasional extra musicians to expand their sound. 7 Bridges to Burn opens the album with a beautiful string arrangement and a poetic monologue. Gainsborough Grove, the album’s second track, goes from theatrical to groovy, while the vocals of Wor Jackie pay respect to Newcastle’s workers: “Good men, each worthy of blue plaques / wield a blunted pickaxe and poll tax”, and the city’s shipbuilding history: “He makes ships, but he is drowning”. Capturing Newcastle’s northern essence, Knats evoke social commentary, referencing the origin of jazz as a voice for its people. While early jazz musicians described the African American experience, this album represents the Geordie experience. The album cover itself is a recreation of A Great Day in Harlem, a picture of 57 jazz musicians in Harlem taken in 1958 by Art Kane. Instead, Knats’ cover shows a large group of Newcastle locals under the iconic Tyne Bridge. A Great Day in Newcastle contains strains of punk, fast-paced sound and spoken-word vocals that highlight the experimental and daring nature of Knats as a band. They use scales invented by French composer Olivier Messiaen, but they add their own unique twist. Woodward’s basslines tie everything together. The album represents the Northern English soul, paying a deep respect for Newcastle’s heritage and its people. Don’t Look Down – Kojey Radical Don’t Look Down is Kojey Radical’s sophomore album, in which he dabbles with the boundaries of hip-hop, rap and RnB. His lyrics are confessional, talking about fatherhood, legacy, and self-doubt. The album contains traces of jazz rhythms and gospel, which “mirrors the album’s shifting moods”, writes Clash Music. On Call is a fast-paced rap song, with James Vickery’s vocals adding a melodic touch. Drinking My Water is pulled together by a groovy bassline and RnB-esque vocals. Problems, featuring Cristale, incorporates afro beats with rap. In this album, Kojey Radical is ambitious. Each song is different, and within each one is a roller coaster of emotions. It is not a cheerful project; there is a certain heaviness to it, with each song carrying a new weight of trauma and insecurity. However, this emotion is what makes Don’t Look Down so necessary to the alt-rap and hip-hop scene. Emotional Junglist – Nia Archives Nia Archives is entirely self-made, and this shines through in the creativity that makes up Emotional Junglist. Nia Archives produces her own music, having taught herself to make music when she was 16 while living in a youth hostel, and funded the promotion of her first single with her own student loan. Archives combines jungle and drum&bass with hints of neo-soul, RnB and alternative pop. This is the first time that she experiments with a live band, and this allows the instrumentals to have more depth. Emotional Junglist takes inspiration from the indie bands of the early 2000s; Around Tha Bend has a guitar riff that hints at Arctic Monkeys, and There Goes Ma Head reminds me of alt-rock girl groups of that same era. Almost Always has a bassline that could be part of a song by The Cure. However, the sound is entirely her own; initial references become something unknown that simply happens to fit together perfectly with drum&bass. Nia Archives’ identity makes her music unique. She adds her own femininity and emotional depth to a male-dominated subculture. Born in Bradford and raised in Leeds, she also finds it important to bring the jungle scene to the north. Emotional Junglist is a tribute to Nia Archives’ British identity and her personal experience with making music. The Art of Loving – Olivia Dean Olivia Dean’s second LP, The Art of Loving, became a sensation from the moment it was released. Dean’s low-pitched voice and jazz-pop instrumentals form the perfect album for a helpless romantic. So Easy (To Fall In Love), Nice To Each Other and Man I Need quickly became hits all over social media. Their instant success can be credited to Olivia Dean’s charismatic personality and outgoing style. In every performance, she dances to the beat of the brass band behind her, a sparkly dress glimmering in the spotlight. The power of this album is that it brings soul and jazz to a younger audience by modernising it for this generation’s enjoyment. The Art of Loving reminds listeners of what love can feel like: freeing and easy. The Boys of Dungeon Lane – Paul McCartney The Boys of Dungeon Lane showcases Paul McCartney’s adventurous side and describes the nostalgia he feels of his younger days living in his home city of Liverpool. However, it has not received much positivity. Upon first listen, it sounds chaotic. As You Lie Here is incoherent, switching between different phases until it is difficult to remember what the beginning of the song sounded like. Meanwhile, other songs, such as Lost Horizon, are more repetitive. It reminds me of other tracks in previous McCartney albums, which shows his unwavering style throughout the years. Other songs, according to critics, simply don’t sound like him; though they are well-produced, they sound generic. Ripples in a Pond is exactly this; it sounds catchy, but lacks the uniqueness of Paul McCartney’s Beatles or Wings eras. The album is nostalgic; that much is clear. In Days We Left Behind, McCartney reminisces on his boyhood days. The tracks have a youthful atmosphere, as if Paul McCartney were trying to get another glimpse of his childhood. We Two shows the darker side of nostalgia, in which he shifts from major to minor chords and sings in a regretful tone about the past. Criticisms of this album are undoubtedly due to Paul McCartney’s everlasting legacy. He is held in high regard, raising listeners’ expectations for his newer works. But perhaps that is the point; the past is irretrievable, and McCartney mourns his history-making days. THIS MUSIC MAY CONTAIN HOPE. – RAYE RAYE begins by setting the scene in what sounds like an old Hollywood film. THIS MUSIC MAY CONTAIN HOPE. is theatrical and beautiful, empowering listeners to seek hope for themselves. I Will Overcome. is the perfect mix between orchestral arrangements and RAYE’s incredible opera-esque vocals. This is an album worth stopping what you’re doing for in order to better take in the imagery and the drama. The Hollywood narrative is instilled throughout the whole album, introduced in the introduction track with a monologue that continues in each song to tell a story. The album connects vintage concepts with modern issues. The WhatsApp Shakespeare., for example, juxtaposes the old and new in an ironic way. The song is like cinematic hip-hop, which goes from electronic to classically jazzy, a collaboration of genres that only RAYE can master. Beware.. The South London Lover Boy. is groovy and full of energy. She incorporates a double bass and a changing tempo that exhibits her musical genius. Click Clack Symphony. is a collaboration of geniuses, where Hans Zimmer composes a string arrangement akin to the Interstellar soundtrack. Fields. features RAYE’s Grandad Michael, a heartwarming conversation between granddaughter and grandfather adorned with nostalgic gospel vocals. WHERE IS MY HUSBAND! is the album’s hit. It has appeared all over social media, and has undoubtedly been the subject of various dance choreographies. It is a song that obliges you to move; fast-paced and energetic, with brassy tones and stunning vocals. The quality of this album is telling, because the most popular song is the standard, not the outlier. There is something so rare about an artist as original as RAYE, who can combine genres so seamlessly and make music her own. It follows the story of a woman learning to find herself, told in a way that only RAYE can. Antidepressants – Suede Suede developed their sound at the heart of the Britpop movement, constantly breaking boundaries. They have kept their originality since. Beats per Minute remarks that while other Britpop bands such as Blur and Pulp have “settled into middle age with a sardonic melancholy that abandons their initial spark”, Suede’s Antidepressants confirms that they have kept the same energy they have always had. This is interesting, considering that Suede were on the margins of the 90s Britpop scene, far from the likes of Blur, Oasis and Pulp. Perhaps that is the secret to their lasting youthfulness; with less pressure to prove themselves, they can further experiment with their sound. Dancing with Europeans is bright and bouncy, perfect to dance to. The Sound And The Summer incorporates a post-punk bassline, one which can be traced throughout the album as one of the most engaging aspects of their arrangements. The bassline stands out in Trance State, for its rhythm holds the song together and truly brings the listener into a trance as the chorus comes in. Life is Endless, Life Is A Moment creates the perfect atmosphere to conclude the album, with its bass and guitar outlining a thrashing drum part. Antidepressants sounds like an echo of the past, images of a summer gone by without the melancholy, and portrays, without fail, the youthful angst of Suede’s early days. Suede deserves recognition for outlasting other Britpop bands in both originality and quality. HELP(2) – War Child War Child has released its second charity compilation after 31 years, collaborating with musicians such as Arctic Monkeys, Olivia Rodrigo, and The Last Dinner Party. The proceeds from the album raise money for children in warzones. The Help Album was created in 1995 to help children during the war in Yugoslavia, organised by producer Brian Eno and the nonprofit War Child. It raised more than £1 million in aid and education, and was nominated for the 1996 Mercury Prize. Current wars in Gaza, Sudan and Ukraine sparked the need for another album, bringing together musicians from various eras. Some notable tracks include Arctic Monkeys’ Opening Night, with Alex Turner’s delicate layered vocals, and Depeche Mode’s Universal Soldier, which incorporates electronic beats they are known for while criticising the mindless attitude of soldiers in the lyrics: “and he knows he shouldn’t kill and he knows he always will”. In Begging for Change, Pulp’s Jarvis Cocker sings, “We are being strip-minded by the powers that be”. Arooj Arab and Beck come together to cover Lilac Wine, a song by Nina Simone that was once famously covered by Jeff Buckley. Beabadoobee covers Say Yes by Elliott Smith and Fontaines D.C. covers Sinead O’Connor’s Black Boys on Mopeds. The covers feel like a fitting homage to musicians who would have likely contributed to a charity album such as this one–the late O’Connor herself has a song on the first Help album. This album brings together older generations like Damon Albarn, Beth Gibbons, Pulp, and Depeche Mode, with younger generations like Arlo Parks, Olivia Rodrigo, Ezra Collective and Fontaines D.C. In Parasite, Blur guitarist Graham Coxon collaborates with Mercury Prize 2024 winners, English Teacher. HELP (2) shows how music can inspire individuals to come together to create change and unity like no other art form. My verdict Each album is unique, with its own style and influences. It is crucial to note that there are many albums deserving of the winning prize, but it is difficult to know, due to subjectivity and the specific taste of judges, which one will win. In my view, the winning album should have created a sound that has never been heard before. I don’t see popular albums winning solely for their popularity; while this shows that many people have enjoyed the songs, it does not dictate quality. In terms of well-known artists, I think that RAYE’s album is the most creative and inspiring, because it forms part of her unique genre and is a masterclass in storytelling, which are certainly qualities of a winning album. While there are many nominees who have already established their talent at a large scale, such as Suede and Paul McCartney, I believe that the prize should go to a newer artist; give them the chance to become legendary. It is time for the rise of a fresh, new generation of musicians. Nia Archives’ Emotional Junglist, for example, is unique and eye-opening. She represents a genre that is not commonly awarded, and combines jungle with other influences that inspire her. Blizzard by Dove Ellis is another contender. He writes beautiful lyrics, and his sound is nostalgic and new, while embedding aspects of his Irish identity. Knats is my pick to win the Mercury Prize. Not only do they represent the nu-jazz scene, which has been growing over recent years; their album acts as a voice for a whole community. A Great Day in Newcastle is heartfelt and modern while staying true to the traditions of jazz. Having been blown away by their performance at a London jazz club in 2024, I think there is so much in store for them. I would love to see them get the recognition they deserve.
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